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800m Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi has given a hilarious account on how his family members, including his own mother, were surprised to see him running on TV at the World U-20 Championsips in 2021 after assuming he had initially "ran away" from home.
When Emmanuel Wanyonyi, reigning Olympic 800m champion, first started running near his home in Saboti, Kenya, people mocked him. Little did they know that the young herdsman would soon shock his family and the world by appearing on television screens as a champion at the World U20 Championships in Nairobi in 2021.
Wanyonyi's story is one of resilience and determination, shaped by hardship. At just 10 years old, he left school to help his family by becoming a herdsman after his father passed away in 2018. His mother moved away with some of his younger siblings, leaving Wanyonyi to fend for himself.
In 2021, at the age of 17, Wanyonyi stunned the athletics world by winning the 800m World U20 title in Nairobi with a championship record of 1:43.76.
However, his family had no idea he was representing Kenya. His mother had left home to support the family and only found out about her son's success when she saw him on TV.
“She was surprised to hear that I was running. She heard through someone that I was on TV. Even my brothers and sisters were shocked because they only knew me as a herdsboy,” Wanyonyi told Sport On.
Before the race, Wanyonyi reflected on his family and confidently told fellow athlete Noah Kibet, "No one is going to beat me all the way." His victory not only brought him fame but also financial stability.
With his earnings from signing a professional contract, Wanyonyi was able to bring his mother back home and build houses for her and his two brothers. He also was able to enroll his sibling’s children to school.
However, his journey to becoming a pro was not easy, but he is greatly indebted to Janeth Jepkosgei, the 2007 world 800m champion and 2008 Olympic silver medallist.
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"Janeth has done a lot for me. She encouraged me to keep going and continue putting in the work. She gave me my first training programme and linked me up with Claudio Berardelli, her former coach," Wanyonyi shared in a separate interview with Olympics.com.
Wanyonyi, who also explained his late father’s crucial role in helping shape the athlete he now is, has recounted his last moments with his father, who unfortunately passed away the very same day he gave him money to buy his first running shoes.
"In 2018, when I was in class 7, my father gave me 300 shillings to buy running shoes, and that was the day he unfortunately passed away. Life became even more difficult.
“My mother had to leave to look for work, and I stayed with my auntie. When I won a medal, I used the money to buy half an acre of land and saved the rest in case running didn’t work out," Wanyonyi recounted.
Wanyonyi's rise to the top has been remarkable. In his first year as a senior in 2022, he made the podium in each of his national and international 800m races and narrowly missed out on a medal at the World Championships in Eugene, finishing fourth.
He became the Diamond League champion and the second-fastest 800m runner in history, trailing only Kenya’s David Rudisha.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Wanyonyi cemented his legacy by winning the gold medal in a time of 1:41.19, surpassing Djamel Sedjati to become the third-fastest man in the 800m, behind only Rudisha and Wilson Kipketer.
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Emmanuel Wanyonyi shares how borrowed shoes sparked his successful athletics career
Emmanuel Wanyonyi has given an inspiring account of how his athletics career started courtesy of a borrowed pair of shoes before several challenges nearly forced him out.
He also set a new personal best of 1:41.11 at the Lausanne Diamond League in August 2024, tying Kipketer's 1997 record.
Wanyonyi’s journey from a mocked village runner to a global sensation is a testament to perseverance. His family, once unaware of his talent, is now reaping the rewards of his hard work and dedication.
As he continues to break records and dominate the 800m, Wanyonyi remains a beacon of hope and inspiration for young athletes worldwide.
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